A Medical Look at the Iceman Ötzi

A few months back we did an episode on the ice mummy, Ötzi. If you recall, German hikers discovered his body in the Eastern Alps in 1991. Since then, scientists have studied his body, and new tests are telling us more about the Neolithic man. Though Ötzi died 5300 years ago, his body was so well preserved, scientists were recently able to extract uncontaminated DNA and sequence his genome.

They found that when he died at 46 years old, Ötzi was predisposed to cardiovascular disease. He also had brown eyes, blood type O, lactose intolerance, and it turns out he had Lyme disease, making him the world's first documented case. Tissue from his hip bone revealed the bacterial pathogen that causes Lyme disease.

Today, it's among the most rapidly emerging infectious diseases in North America. A bite from an infected tick can cause a bull's eye rash around the bite site, along with aches and pains. The symptoms disappear but then can return with more severe problems such as paralysis, heart palpitations, and even memory loss and confusion. Today, the infection is treated with antibiotics and rarely progresses. But inÖtzi's time, this infection would have worsened, and eventually disabled or killed him. But the iceman did not die from Lyme disease.

Ötzi may have been killed by an arrow causing him to bleed out within minutes. He also had signs of defensive wounds to his hands and arms. Recent analysis revealed a skull fracture caused bleeding in the back of the brain further suggesting he was attacked or fell. This adds to mounting evidence he died from a fight.

Anyone can visit Ötzi at the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology in Italy. A small window shows his refrigerated body, and you can walk up to a new 3-D life-sized model of how he would have appeared.